1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to audio speakers. More particularly, this invention relates to wearable speakers.
2. State of the Art
Audiophiles and non-audiophiles alike often desire to have music available for listening wherever they may be or whatever they are doing (e.g. while jogging, biking, exercising, or walking). Because of the demand, there exist many portable audio systems designed for personal use, (e.g., Sony Walkman® and similar types of CD and tape players, DVD players, cell phones and other types of signal sources). Most if not all of the portable personal audio systems incorporate the use of headphones or earphones to transmit sound to the listener's ear. However, earphones and headphones are often uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, are not an attractive fashion statement, can become dislodged as a result of physical activity, and can block or attenuate environmental sounds compromising the wearer's safety. Further, because of size and weight constraints, mounting traditionally sized speakers on clothing would not be feasible.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,682,434, 5,815,579, and 5,953,434 all to Boyden attempt to address these problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,434 discloses a wearable speaker formed by mounting transducers into a thin flat narrow dual cavity structure which can be mounted on a garment of a listener. The speaker enclosure can also be worn like a pendant or collar around the neck of the listener thereby eliminating the need for earphones or headphones. U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,579 discloses a wearable speaker adapted to be applied as a collar, yolk, or epaulet of a garment. The enclosure is formed as a thin narrow hollow (or open-celled foam filled) enclosure which may be open to the atmosphere at one or more ends. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,434 discloses a thin narrow strip of cloth or open-celled foam having two speakers which is designed to be worn as a head band around the head of a listener. Because of the nature of thin narrow enclosures of the above referenced patents, the speaker chamber volumes formed by the enclosures are necessarily small and thereby provide reduced sound quality from the speakers especially in the lower frequency range. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,815,579 and 5,953,434 describe an enclosure structure having a nearly four to one dimensional ratio of width to thickness. Because of the relatively large dimensional ratio of width to thickness of the prior art references, unless the enclosures are formed from substantially rigid materials, the chambers can easily be pinched off (and thereby further reduced in effective size) as the thin narrow enclosures will flex and bend as the wearer moves and flexes and bends the article of clothing. On the other hand, if the enclosures are in fact rigid, they are uncomfortable to wear and will considerably restrict movement of the wearer. Further, the prior art enclosures are designed to be worn as close to the ear of the wearer as possible having the sound transducers positioned such that they direct sound toward the wearer's ear, which may not be a desirable or advantageous placement on a garment.